Workmen's advocate., 1887-04-09

work. He has no land to work upon, or has no shop to work in, no tools, no seed or raw material; and nothing to live upon, and no place to live in, until exchange for these things without which he must die
 But" you say again, ''f he cannot employ his labor himself. why cannot he sellit; There is salways a certain demand for labor; he can sell his labor at the market price" Very true, sD he can. He can hire himself to another man, as it is called; that is, as you say, "he can sell his labor" But our newly emanci- pated slave has had enough of working for other men; he wants to work for himself and nobody else. He wants all the products of his labor for himself.
 "Well, you say, "it he is so grasping as to want his own, and so fastidious as to be unwilling to be another mans servant, let him hire some land ora shop and some tools, and get credit at the store, and go to work" We'll, let us see. Suppose we can find a man SO gen erous and trusting as to advance him all these means of labor, without security all this capital--on what condition will he do it? Will he let him have some land CT shop without rent; will nothing besides wear and tear be charged for these things, or for the tools? Will he get his seed. cattle and tools at cost without profit? In short, will not the man who does all this for him charge him for it in some way, and therby ob- tain part of the products of his labor in fact, use him as capital?
 So, do you not see that notwithstand- ing the abolition of slavery, the essence of slavery still remains? "The man without capital has got to work for somebody besides himself.
 This was what kept the slaves in ig- norance and poverty, and the slave | holders in luxury and idleness, under the system of chattel slavery; and this same wrong is the true and all sufficient explanation of paupers, tramps, monop- olies and millonares under our indus trial system.
 Under slavery, the fundamental error of principle was; The legal right of prop erty in man, the object being to use him as capital. Under the present industrial system, the fundamental error of prin- ciple is: The legal right of property in mans inheritance; the resources of na- ture; and the accumulated results of mans progress in the past; indispens- able for his progress in the present, and a sacred trust for future generations. Happily property in man has passed away. Not without struggle. Next must follow, property in mans inherit ance. The matter of its abolition is the problem of to-day. It is the "Labor Question:" It is sound question, and therefore scientific.
 The accomplishment of this object in our nation is to be the work of this new decade. It is the fiat of the Supreme Powers. The modern agencies of civili- zation-steam, electricity, etc.-are the forces of the Supreme Powers. Man must obey.
 Socialism appeals to the reason and to the conscience of every good man and woman in order that these changes may be accomplished peaceably. Will you be on the side of the Supreme Powers, or try to oppose them?
 Are you in favor of "strong govern ment," a government of brute force in the interest of few; orare you in favor of a stronger government" govern ment of reason and justice in the inter- est of humanity?